Art and Photography Workshop: Wildflowers and Winging It

Oh. My. Heart!

My favorite part of summer

is this.

Prairie Wildflowers.

Give me a pasture of wildflowers and my camera

and you will find a happy Jodi.

Since the prairie wildflowers have exploded here on the ranch,

we have a short window of opportunity

 to take some breathtaking photos in the evenings! 

I am opening up a spontaneous art & photo workshop

 in my White Owl Wings studio at my home by appointment from 

3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the dates of July 5-8 and 11-15. 

Choose which day you would like to come for yourself and up to two more friends. 

Register here: www.whiteowlwings.com

Here's what I have planned:

* Make your own "Winging It" Art piece

 on a round slice of birch wood 

with papers, butterfly diagrams and wire wings 

from 3:00-6:00. 

*Break

* An evening of wildflower "photography safari"

on the prairie through sunset. 

We will take the side-by-side 4-wheeler 

to some of my favorite spots for photos on the ranch.

*Limited to 3 people at a time. 

*Bring a couple friends for a very personal small group art/photo time. 

*Message or call me to reserve your date.

Register at www.whiteowlwings.com
*$60 per person. Bring your own camera. All art supplies provided.

***

So here's a few things I have learned about these wildflower favorites

from my book: Grassland Plants of South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains

by James R. Johnson and Gary E. Larson.

The top photo above of the yellow flower is a Prairie Coneflower.

*"Dakota and Lakota made a tea to cure aches of the stomach, head, or side;

Dakota also made a leaf tea beverage."

*"Cheyenne prepared a solution for relieving the effects of rattlesnake bite and poison ivy."

*"The dark red phase is known as "Mexican Hat" {which you can see below}.

This photo above is a Purple Coneflower, or Echinacea, or Black Samson.

A few interesting things:

*indicator of healthy range; safe for grazing

*when chewed, the root numbs the mouth.

*"root widely used by Plains Indians to treat the following:

snakebite,

stings,

toothache,

coughs,

sore mouth and gums,

neck pain,

rheumatism,

arthritis,

mumps and measles,

and more."

*"The plant was their most important plains herbal medicine."

Here is the Mexican Hat version of the Prairie Coneflower,

a rare find.

I'd love to have you join me

for my Winging It Art and Photography Workshop.

Register Here:  www.whiteowlwings.com

Crescendo: Homestake Opera House Benefit "Artument"

I was invited to be a part of

The Crescendo Gala

which is a fundraiser for the 

Historic Homestake Opera House

in Lead, South Dakota

on June 3rd.

I am honored to be one of four fine artists

creating "Art-uments"

which are artistically altered

musical instruments

each of which

will be auctioned at the Gala.

My piece is titled

Live Your Own Song

and

it is inspired by my friend Dawn Wink's novel Meadowlark.

Meadowlark is based on the life of Dawn's Grandma Grace

on the harsh early 1900's prairie of eastern Meade County

in South Dakota.

It is a raw and heartbreaking story,

yet one of deep resilience, strength, and friendship.

I chose a passage from the novel

featuring a conversation between Grace and her friend Daisy.

Daisy encourages Grace to live from Song,

like meadowlark...

and that all creatures and people have their own Song,

they just have to find it.

"Most people live their whole lives and never listen to the songs of life,

not their own or any around them.

Scares them too much.

It's easier to go through life living the way everybody else expects you to.

But when you're listening to your own song, Grace, you feel deep peace, right here."

She reached out and placed the flat of her palm on the center of Grace's chest.

...to live life in song, Grace,

that's what the Great Spirit intended.

Meadowlarks inspire me as a birder.

They arrive with the announcement that spring is coming

and then in spring blizzard's harsh winds

they sing in defiance right in the face of adversity.

I love that.

Meadowlarks sing hope to all prairie dwellers.

The process of creating an "Artument"

began with a collage

of an old hymnal page, 

a postmarked meadowlark postage stamp,

dictionary definitions for

Dakota, meadowlark, grace, and daisy;

a poem entitled Meadowlark from a 1916 South Dakota Bird and Arbor Day book,

a daisy elementary school coloring page 

from the collection of local Enning librarian and historian Irma Maude,

a vintage book spine,

and other various papers.

The sides of the guitar feature tissue paper

designed by Melody Ross

and created and sold through

Full Circle Exchange

a job readiness program for female refugees from horrific, war-torn situations.

Layers of acrylic paints were added,

as well as alcohol inks.

I sketched a meadowlark in pencil and then painted with acrylic paint.

The Live Your Own Song Art-ument

celebrates

song,

authenticity to your self,

and

the South Dakota prairie.

Time lapse videos of the art in progress:

Part One

Part 2

Consider Birds Sneak Peek and Supply List

 Consider Birds:

Trading Anxiety for Peace of Mind

an online class

by

Jodene Shaw

based on Matthew 6:26

"Look to the birds of the air..."

beginning May 16, 2016

 Register at

www.whiteowlwings.com

Early registration just $38 through April 20.
Regular registration: $55

Hey friends!

Today I am showing just a sneak peak of a few

projects from Consider Birds

along with a little prayer for the class

and a suggested supply list.

First, just a peek.

I don't want to give away all of the surprises...

Just a note:

the easiest way to get

close photographs of birds

is to feed them in your yard.

I have videos about this

and some fun bird food projects.

But if you want to get started attracting them now,

get some black sunflower seed and start feeding.

****

My Prayer for this class is inspired by this:

My Grandma Marj took me under her wing when I was a little girl.

She taught me the names of the birds and to appreciate the uniqueness of each one.

Each bird was a treasure.

She taught me to build a bird life list.

I will share this with you and you can begin yours if you haven't yet.

Here is my video reading of the prayer:

Lord,

Thank YOU for bringing

Consider Birds together in my mind.

For the legacy of Grandma Marj.

May this journey begin 

to unravel the threads 

that have been tied tightly in knots

of anxiousness, worry and endless striving

that always felt "not quite enough"

in my life, some family members,

and all those who interact with this material.

May the knots

loosen,

untangle,

and

unleash

each of us

in freedom

and

the abundant life

and

unforced rhythms of grace

that You offer.

May a legacy of grace fly forward

on wings

of

gratitude,

value,

and

and

love.

This is my prayer for Consider Birds

and the lives it touches...

Amen, Jesus.

I am just excited for you to experience 

the material I have prepared for you.

This has been growing in my heart since I was a little girl.

I had no idea what a beautiful thing God would do with it all...

including the pain of my migraines

which made me pay attention

and dig deep.

My video message to you about supplies:

Following are photos and a list of suggested supplies for Consider Birds.

Some supplies have links for ordering.

*2x4 or 2x6 inch board cut into squares or rectangles

*Birch round (Michael's)

*Stretched canvas 5x7 inch or preferred size

*old weathered pieces of wood

Paper:  scrapbook papers, old books/dictionaries you can tear up, vintage papers, wallpaper books

You will need a computer to watch videos and a printer to print PDFs of vintage bird images and poetry that I will share with you.

I use a vintage typewriter for text in my art, but you can download a vintage typewriter font for your computer and print from there.

*Gesso:  white, black and clear

*Mod Podge matte or Liquitex Matte Medium

*Golden Crackle Paste and/or Molding Paste

*Optional: Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish

*Sponge brushes

*Stiff bristled brushes

*Black tacks/nails

*Plastic palette knives or just a plastic knife

*old gift cards

*Acrylic Paint:  heavy bodied, academic level, and/or craft paint

Colors I will use:  

Raw umber, yellow ochre, payne's gray, any shade of turquoise, reds, unbleached titanium, white

Suggestion:  Use a 40% off one item coupon at Michael's and get a starter set of Golden or Liquitex heavy bodied acrylic paints. You can mix and make your own colors from a basic set.

*Distress Ink Pad in Vintage Photo and/or other preferred colors

*Others are optional:  Distress Stains, Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy (highly suggest), Ranger Alcohol Inks

*Hammer, needle nosed pliers, scissors, sandpaper (100 grit)

*20 gauge wire in your choice of color (found in beading/jewelry section)

*found or collected objects like sticks (sanded), heart shaped stones or stones of a certain color, beads, buttons, safety pins, clothes pins.... just fun objects you might have or find.

Various Rubber Stamps with patterns and perhaps birds.

*In addition to stamps you may want to collect netting, bubble wrap, jar openers and things that you can create patterns and textures with...

*Sculpey Clay, white, 8 oz.

You don't need an 8 lb box!

Recollections Chipboard Kit for creating a bird life list book.

Spiral bound sketchbook for gratitude journal and prayer projects. (See video.)

These are suggested.

You don't have to use the exact supplies I have.

Use what you have.

Watch the videos and decide how you want to do the projects.

You might have supplies that will fit the project.

Remember, you will have access to this for an unlimited time.

Consider it like a cookbook.  You don't have to buy all the ingredients for all of the recipes.

You get to decide which ones to try first. 

Just This.

When I walk,

I collect images.

Things that are simple.

Some gratitude.

Signs of hope.

To attempt to

shake the cloak

of melancholy

on windy days

that

tire

my

soul. 

I know that

Pooh bear

was talking about

snow.

But if he were talking

about wind,

he would say,

The more it BLOWS

Tiddely-Pom

The more it GOES

Tiddely-Pom

The more it GOES

Tiddely-Pom

on

BLOWING.

Digging Deeper Into The Pain

So last week,

I was feeling pretty great that I had gone 10 days

migraine free,

pain med free.

I'm still 19 days prescription pain med free.

But I had a headache 

Wednesday

and now

today,

pain.

However,

even though I have frustration,

I am at peace for the moment.

I am just curious

about why I hurt.

I am wondering what the message of the pain is today.

I'll be seeing both a chiropractor and physical therapist later today.

I am trying to give myself grace.

To do this "self-care" thing

imperfectly.

It is leading me to things.

Good things.

Taking care of my diet and getting exercise 

have overall benefits

for

my

life.

I am motivated

to do that

now,

even

if I still get the pain.

So I eat greens, greens, greens.

Three times a day:

spinach,

Romaine,

iceberg lettuce,

watercress,

whatever greens I have.

I have my B's:

B12, B6, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Niacin.

Superfoods.

Water.

Peppermint oil.

EFT ~ tapping.

Praying. 

I am trying to keep my mind and spirit

at a healthy pace.

This is hard.

But I am working on it

imperfectly.

I acknowledge all of it

in my writing and creating,

trying to lean into it, listen to it, learn from it

rather than rage against it

or numb it.

I am gently seeking

in the Bible,

looking at the birds,

and kindly

putting together creative opportunities

for others to join me

in the fruit

of this journey.

Not doing art,

not sharing and teaching also,

is just as stressful to me

as doing it at 

a frantic, pressured pace.

So I am putting one foot in front of the other,

carefully, kindly, tenderly.

Learning, sharing, preparing to teach again.

Some days are good.

I feel good and hopeful.

Other days are discouraging, painful, frustrating.

But that is the nature of life.

And today I am ok with that.

Digging deeper into my heart and mind,

beyond the physical

into emotional and spiritual

looking for clues in all of it,

that show me

how to be well,

live well,

work well,

love well.